Ms Donna Price:

I want to mention the GoSafe vans. I am not sure what we really think about them. They are in areas where fatal collisions have occurred and they have changed driver behaviour in those areas in that when drivers are coming up to the speed van, they slow down, and when they leave the area they speed up again. In that given spot, the collisions have decreased but outside of that area, on country roads, the collisions have increased. That is because driver behaviour has not really changed. A Garda presence on the road is vital. Gardaí can make this cost-effective if they are out there in numbers. The number of people speeding is outrageous. I experienced it this morning. The number of people on their phones is outrageous. Every time a person goes to his or her car, he or she is surrounded by people texting and driving, regardless of the speeds. Some of them do it at 70 mph. The Garda could be raking in the money. If they can keep it in the traffic corps, that is well and good. We need to get gardaí on the road. People need to see a Garda presence. It is only then that they will not take chances with their lives and with the lives of our families. That is very important. The GoSafe vans are outside contractors. I think the contract is for 6,000 hours a year.